Resilient wheel.



C. E. P RY: RESILIENT WH L.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23. 1917. 1,246,457. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET].

"-II'IIIIII C. E, PERRY.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. I912.

' 1,246,457. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS'SHEET 2.

. c: a by $46M? CALVIN E. PERRY, .OF LEICESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BESILIENT VJHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed lama as, 1917i 7 Serial No. 156,873. i i

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CALVIN E. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leicester, in thecountyof l Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a resilient wheel, comprising an annular outer rim whiclriiv eludes the wheel tread, a floating wheel body located within said outer rim and including a hub and an annular inner rim, and resilient means interposed between the inner and outer rims whereby the wheel body is yieldingly supported. j

The invention is embodied in the improvement hereinafter described relating to said resilient means, the wheel bodybeing supported by a resilient cradle of simple, du

rable and efiective construction.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel embodying my invention.

Fig. 1 is a section on line 1*%-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig 1 and an elevation of the parts atthe left 0 said line. I

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 l of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section and partly in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the elements represented by Figs. 3 and l, separated from each other. e v

The same reference characters, indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The outer rim of my improved wheel may be of any suitable construction, and as here shown, includes a channeled noneresilient metal band 12, having flanges 13 and 14:

' and a tread band 15 which may be composed of segmental wooden blocks, confined between said fianges,as indicated by Fig. 1 I desire it understood, however, that I do not limit myself to this particular construction of the outer rim. 7 j

The outer rim is provided internally with outer hinge members 16 and 16 which are bolted or riveted in pairs to the outer rim, each member 16 being preferably in transverse alinement with a member 16*. V v The floating wheelbody includes a hu 17 and an annular inner rim 18 which may be connected withthehub by spokes 19,0

otherwise, the said body being of rigid construction.

Associated wlth the inner rim 18 are'in'ner members 16 and 16 I members, whlle being firmly secured'to the inner rim 18, are preferably adjustable for a purpose hereinafter stated.

Connected with the outer and inner hinge members are two series of elongated resilient bars 21, and 21 preferably of steel, and.

collectively forming a cradle which embraces and yielding'ly supports the inner rim. bars 21 constituting one of. the-said series, are'fiexibly' connected at their outer ends by links 22 with the outer hinge members 16, and at their inner ends with the inner hinge members 20 by links 23. The bars 21 con stituting the other series, are offset from the bars 21, as shown by Figs. 2 and 4, and are flexiblyconnected at their outer ends with theouter hinge members 16 by links "2st, and, at their inner ends with the inner hinge members 20 by links '25. j I

.The bars 21, and 21 extendhobliquely across the annular space between the inner and outer rims and are arranged at difierent inclinations, so that the bars 21 crossthe bars 21 at points substantially midway between the ends of the bars. The crossing portions of the bars are in contact with the bearings 26 attached to and projecting outwardly from the inner rim of the wheel, said bearings having rounded outer faces, as shown by Figs. 3, 5 and 6. Contact between said bars and the bearings 26 is maintained by suitable means, preferably. em bodying' the elements shown by Fig. 6, said means including stop ears 28 projecting outwardly from the ends of the bearing 26,- screw-threaded, studs 29 projecting outwardly from said bearing, and provided with clamping-nuts 30, a yoke 31 having a rounded inner face and perforated at its ends to receive the studs 29, and rocking shoes 32, and 32, each having a flat inner face and a socket 33in its outer face en gaged with the rounded face of the yoke 31, as shown byFig. 3, and adapted to rock on said yoke. v w l By reference to Fig. 4, it will beseen that each bearing 26issecured .to the inner rim 18 by bolts 34, and that the shoes 32, and 32 confine the bars 21, and 21 against said Patented Nov. 13, 191?.

The

bearing, said shoes being in turn confined by the yoke 31 which is secured by the clamping-nuts 30. It will also be seen that provision is made for permitting slight longitudinal tipping and endwise movements of the bars 21, and 21 The outer edges of said bars are confined against edgewise displacement by the stop ears 28, as shown by Fig. 4. The bars 21, and 21 are preferably spaced apart and prevented from hearing against each'other by a stop 35 which is shown by Figs. and 6, as the head of a screw, the threaded shank portion of which is inserted in the yoke 31. Said screw is further utilized to secure to the yoke 31 a nut-locking bar "36, having recesses 37 in'its ends, as shown by Fig. 6, adapted to engage and prevent the turning of the nuts 30, as shown by Fig. 2.

It will now be seen that the crossing portions of the bars 21, and 21" form a plurality of resilient seats, constituting portions of a resilient cradle supported by the outer rim and yieldingly supporting the wheel body, the latter being enabled to rise and fall independently, to a limited extent, partly by reason of the resilience of the bars 21, and 21, and partly by the freedom of the bearings 26 to slip in contact with the crossing portions of the said bars As already stated, the inner hinge members 20, and 20 are preferably adjustably connected with the inner rim. The object of this adjustable connection is to strain or tension the resilient bars and the links connecting them with the inner and outer hinge members. As here shown, each inner hinge member is formed on a rod or bolt 37 inserted in a split car 38, the base of which is bolted or riveted to the inner rim 18. An adjusting nut 39 engaged with the threaded portion of the bolt 37 and seated on one side of the car 38, when turned in one direction, or inwardly on the bolt 37, moves said bolt endwise in the direction required to exert tension on the elongated jointed structure formed by the hinge members, the resilient bar and V the links connecting the hinge members with the bar. The split portion of the ear 38 is provided with a clamping-screw 40. p

The cradle formed by the resilient bars 21, and 21 and their connections with the outer and inner rims, transmitstoripie either from the wheel body to the outer rim, when the body is rotated by a motor, the wheel being, for example, a 'driying wheel of a motor vehicle, or from the outer rim to the body, the wheel being, for example, a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, or either of the wheels of a horse-drawn vehicle.

I claim:

1. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a float-ing wheel body including a hub" and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim, and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, and a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars, connected at their opposite ends with the said rims and extending obliquely across the annular space therebetween, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, and the crossing portions of said bars contacting with said bearings. I V

2. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including a wheel tread, a floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim, and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearin'gs,a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars, connected at their opposite ends with the said rims and extending obliquely across the annular space therebetween, the bars of oneseries crossing those of the other series, and the crossing portions of said bars contacting with said bearings, and confining means maintaining said crossing portions in contact with said bearings. 1 V

3. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a

floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars extending obliquely across-the annular space between said rims, outer flexible connections betweensaid bars and the outer rim, and inner flexible connections between the bars and the inner rim, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, and the crossing portions of said bars contacting with said bearings.

l. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed'of two series of elongated resilient bars extending obliquely across the annular space between said rims, outer flexible connections between said bars and the outer rim, and inner flexible connections between the bars and the inner rim, said connections including straining or take-up means, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, and the crossing portions of said bars contactingwith said bearings.

5. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim and providedwith uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, a re silient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars extending obliquely across the annular space between said rims, outer hinge members attached to the outer rim, links flexibly connecting said bars with said outer hinge members, inner hinge members carried by the inner rim, links flexibly connecting said inner members with the bars, and adjustable connections between the inner members and the inner rim, whereby said bars and links may be put under strain or tension, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, and the crossing port-ions of said bars contacting with said bearings.

6. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim, and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, having rounded outer faces, stop ears at opposite ends of said faces, and threaded studs projecting from said ears and provided with clamping-nuts, a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars connected at their opposite ends with said rims and extending obliquely across the annular space therebetween, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, while the crossing portions of said bars contact with the rounded faces of said bearings and are confined edgewise between said stop-ears, yokes confined on said studs by the clamping-nuts and extending across the crossing portions of said bars, said yokes having rounded inner faces and oscillatory bearing shoes interposed between said yokes and the crossing portions of said bars, and provided with fiat inner faces bearing on the bars, and socketed outer faces adapted to rock on the rounded faces of the yokes.

7. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including a wheel tread, a floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim, and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings, having rounded outer faces, stop-ears at opposite ends of said faces, and threaded studs projecting from said ears and provided with clamping-nuts, a resilient cradle supporting said wheel body and composed of two seof said bars, said yokes having rounded inner faces, oscillatory bearing shoes interposed between said yokes and the crossing portions of said bars, and provided with flat inner faces bearing on the bars, and socketed outer faces adapted to rock on the rounded faces of the yokes, and stops connected with said yokes and interposed between the inner edges of the crossing portions of the said bars.

8. A resilient wheel comprising an annular outer rim including the wheel tread, a

floating wheel body including a hub and an annular inner rim of smaller diameter than the outer rim, and provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting bearings having rounded outer faces, stop-ears at opposite ends of said faces, and threaded studs projecting from said ears and provided with clamping-nuts, a resilient cradle supporting said vwheel body and composed of two series of elongated resilient bars connected at their opposite ends with said rims and extending obliquely across the annular space therebetwcen, the bars of one series crossing those of the other series, while the crossing portions of said bars contact with the rounded faces of said bearings and are confined edgewise between said stop-ears, yokes confined on said studs by the clampingnuts and extending across the crossing portions of said bars, said yokes having rounded inner faces, oscillatory bearing shoes interposed between said yokes and the crossing portions of said bars, and provided with flat inner faces bearing on the bars, and socketed outer faces adapted to rock on the rounded faces of the yokes, nut-locking plates engaged with said nuts to prevent the rotation thereof, and threaded studs securing the'locking plates to said yokes and having heads constituting stops interposed between the inner edges of the crossing portions of said bars. 7

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

CALVIN E. PERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

